In the summer of 1867, the quiet English village of Alton was shattered by a brutal crime. Eight-year-old Fannie Adams became the victim of one of the most infamous child murders of the Victorian era. While the case gained widespread attention at the time—so much so that “sweet Fanny Adams” became a macabre expression in British slang—her story has since faded into the background of history. In revisiting her case, we not only honor her memory but also examine how society often sensationalizes tragedy while neglecting the victims themselves.
The Crime
On August 24, 1867, young Fannie Adams was playing with friends in a meadow near her home when she was approached by Frederick Baker, a local solicitor’s clerk. Offering money for sweets, Baker lured her away. When she did not return, her friends raised the alarm, and hours later her mutilated body was discovered in one of the most shocking crimes of the century.
The Investigation and Trial
Suspicion quickly fell on Baker, who was seen with bloodstained clothes and carried a small knife. Despite his claims of innocence, overwhelming evidence—including his own diary notes—led to his arrest. His trial became one of the most widely reported in Victorian newspapers, drawing attention not only to the brutality of the crime but also to rising concerns about child safety in industrial-era England.
Baker was found guilty and executed in December 1867, despite pleas for leniency on grounds of supposed insanity.
Media Sensationalism
The public outcry was immense, and the press covered every lurid detail. Yet over time, the story shifted away from Fannie herself. The slang phrase “sweet Fanny Adams,” originally a dark joke about her murder, became commonplace to mean “nothing” or “worthless.” Today, few remember the child behind the phrase, and her identity has been overshadowed by cultural trivialization.
Why Fannie’s Story Matters
Fannie Adams’ murder was more than just a Victorian scandal. It reflected a society grappling with new anxieties—about urbanization, child vulnerability, and the failures of law enforcement to prevent such tragedies. By revisiting her case, we see the early intersections of crime reporting, gender, and class in shaping public memory.
Fannie Adams deserves to be remembered not as a slang term, but as a little girl whose life was cut short. Her story reminds us how easily victims—especially women and children—can be reduced to footnotes in history, while the notoriety of their killers endures.
This post begins our series on Uncovering Forgotten Women in True Crime History, where we will shed light on the overlooked, erased, or sensationalized women whose stories deserve to be told with dignity.
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